Southampton Village residents deserve a government that operates with full transparency, not through unwritten rules that shift from meeting to meeting. That is why I will introduce a resolution to formally adopt clear, written procedures for how Board of Trustees agendas are prepared.
A core part of this resolution makes one thing unmistakable: Every trustee will have the guaranteed right to place resolutions on the agenda for discussion and vote by 4 p.m. the day before each meeting — an essential step for accountability.
This ends any ambiguity about agenda access and ensures that all elected officials can bring important matters before the public, not just those approved by custom or convenience.
These written procedures are not arbitrary. They follow formal recommendations from the New York Conference of Mayors and mirror best practices already used in many Suffolk County municipalities.
Clear rules make for honest, open government. Southampton Village residents deserve nothing less, and this resolution helps move us firmly in that direction.
Edward Simioni
Trustee
Village of Southampton
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